Letter BC Ferries service Denman Hornby Islands

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700 North Road, Gabriola Island, BC  V0R 1X3 
Telephone  250-247-2063    Fax  250-247-7514 
Toll Free via Enquiry BC in Vancouver 604.660.2421  Elsewhere in BC 1.800.663.7867 
Email  northinfo@islandstrust.bc.ca 
Web  www.islandstrust.bc.ca 
 
October 9, 2018 HO-6410-03 
 
Via email: mark.collins@bcferries.com 
 
Mark Collins, CEO 
BC Ferries Corporation 
 
Dear Mr Collins: 
 
We   have   heard   unprecedented   concerns   about   the   significant   number   of   overloads   being 
experienced  on  Route  22  this  past  summer.  While  delays  are  certainly  to  be  expected  in  the  peak 
summer  season,  the  number  and  length  of  delays  were  unprecedented  in  2018,  with  resulting 
impacts upon the community.  
 
The  journey  between  Buckley  Bay  and  Shingle  Spit,  which  usually  takes  about  an  hour,  often  took 
multiple  hours  this  past  summer.  Travellers  who  wanted  to  be  sure  to  connect  through  to 
Vancouver Island on the first sailing off of Hornby Island needed to leave their vehicle in the line-up 
the night before (which is of course not possible for everyone), or else had to be in the line-up one 
and a half to two hours ahead of the sailing. 
 
At  its  August  3rd,  2018  business  meeting,  the  Hornby  Island  Local  Trust  Committee  passed  the 
following resolution: 
 
HO-2018-046 
It was MOVED and SECONDED, 
that the Hornby Island Local Trust Committee requests the Chair to write to the CEO 
of  BC  Ferries  asking  BC  Ferries  to  engage  in  discussions  with  the  Denman-Hornby 
Ferry Advisory Committee to explore options to ensure that the significant on-going 
overloads  experienced  on  Route  22  in  the  summer  of  2018  are  not  repeated  in 
future   years   (with   the   letter   copied   to   the   Minister   of   Transportation   and 
Infrastructure,   the   BC   Ferry   Commission,   the   Denman-Hornby   Ferry   Advisory 
Committee and the Hornby Island Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association). 
CARRIED 
 
We  note  that  in  July  and  August  2017,  Route  22  had  the  highest  capacity  utilization  of  any  BC 
Ferries’ route: 99% and 102%. Route 22 also had the highest percentage of overloads of any route: 
14.9% (up from 9.2% in the previous year). It seems likely that a high proportion of these overloads 
are  happening  in  the  peak  season.  From  what  we  have  heard,  traffic  seems  to  have  substantially 
increased this year. 

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Bowen  Denman  Hornby  Gabriola  Galiano  Gambier  Lasqueti  Mayne  North Pender  Salt Spring  Saturna  South Pender  Thetis 
We believe this issue needs attention. 
 
The Hornby Island Official Community Plan includes the following Policies: 
 
5.7.10  BC  Ferry  Corporation  and  the  Ministry  of  Transportation  and  Infrastructure  are  encouraged 
to: 
a)  achieve  a  level  of  service  that  follows  rather  than  precedes  community  needs  and  that  is 
established in consultation with community representatives; and 

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